All industries require at least a degree of collaboration between two people. No man is an island, even if he is the sole member of his department. Because of this necessary collaboration, many organisations function on a foundation of teams. Every department operates like a team, and they interface with each other through even further team-related skills. Like a basketball team, a corporate team full of individuals with individual goals, who ignore the needs of those around them, are laughably ineffective. When a team comes together, however, and becomes willing to work towards a common goal, we see much better communication, cooperation, and success.

Communication and cooperation are key, and when these areas are neglected, that is when organisations start to fail. Some companies see the faults in their system before they become too large to correct and enlist the help of a coaching expert, who can help every employee find his place in the team and learn to work effectively in the group environment.

Role of a Coach

Even the best employees-the brightest, hardest working-may not “play well with others,” as the saying goes. A coach’s job is to evaluate the efficacy of a team, pinpoint weak spots, and implement plans to strengthen those weak spots. The most important role of a coach is to find the underlying problems and solve them. For example, Communication may have experienced a breakdown between two departments because of a perceived slight. Coaches can not only resolve that problem, but also ensure that it doesn’t happen again, by providing each team member with the skills he needs to be a more operative communicator.

Many people see coaches as problem solvers, and they are only brought in when a problem arises. However, the best time to bring in a coach for your employees is in the development stage. Just like in sports, coaches are there to direct success, not just to help with a specific problem. Starting from the very first day of your business, team coaching helps your employees to see themselves as a single functioning unit, rather than as several autonomous units.

When individuals realize that success is much more obtainable when they work together, utilize each person’s specific skill set, there is a much better chance that those people will collaborate to achieve common goals. Knowing that they have a place in the team allows every employee to feel at home in their specific role.

With team coaching, organisations are looking at bigger, bright futures. The most important factor of any business is human capital, and when those people all work together, with streamlined communication, a more successful, efficient, and profitable business emerges.